Three down, 27 to go. As Simone Biles and her team continue their journey across the country, the next stop on the Gold Over America Tour is set for the entertainment capital of the world—Los Angeles. This time, they’re ready to bring the house down at a venue that’s no stranger to jam-packed crowds, high-pitched voices, and infectious energy that goes through the roof. How could it not? It’s the land of the LA Lakers!

Yes! On September 20, America’s elite gymnasts will take over the Crypto.com Arena as they soar to new heights. Since its inauguration in October 1999, this historic venue has been part of countless iconic sports moments. Want to take a little ride down its history?

Gold Over America reaches Crypto.com Arena, the home of NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers

Previously called the Staples Center, the Crypto.com Arena is owned by the Anschutz Entertainment Group, formed through a partnership between LA Lakers owner Ed Roski Jr. and LA Kings owner Philip Anschutz. With a combined vision to create a multi-sports arena, construction began in 1997, with an investment of $375 million. In no time, it became the home court for three of LA’s major sports franchises: the NBA’s Lakers, the WNBA’s Sparks, and the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

Call it lucky, the court has seen the Lakers win six NBA championships, the Kings bag 2 Stanley Cups (2012, 2014), and the WNBA romp in 3 championship titles too. In fact, the arena holds special significance as it was where Kobe Bryant last stepped onto the court. Although Bryant hadn’t had the smoothest transition into retirement, his final game on April 13, 2016, at the Crypto.com Arena was unforgettable. In his career finale against the Utah Jazz, Kobe scored 60 points, leading the Lakers to a 101-96 victory.

However, the arena has been a hub for both sports and entertainment. While the Gold Over America Tour represents a perfect blend of the two, let’s take a look at some of the iconic events that have been staged at this venue.

Interesting fact: Did you know the arena offers free in-house WiFi, features over 840 Toshiba screens, boasts a sound system that cost $1.5 million, and has state-of-the-art lighting? It’s not just a venue; it’s an experience!

Some significant events held at Crypto.com Arena

Sports

• Multiple national and international level sports events have been held at the Crypto.com Arena, such as the NBA All-Star Weekends (2004, 2011, 2018),  the U.S. Figure Skating Championships (2002, 2009), X-Games competitions, WTA Tour Championships, Pac 12 Men’s Basketball Championship tournaments, etc.

Entertainment

• 2000 onwards, the Crypto.com Arena has been the venue for the esteemed GRAMMY awards every year.
• The space has likely had your favorite pop stars conducting a concert at least once. Multiple international sensations such as Taylor Swift, Drake, Beyoncé, Adele, Justin Timberlake, Phil Collins, Shania Twain, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Chris Brown, and many more have performed here.

Significant events

• The Kobe Bryant Memorial was held here in 2020, where multiple people attended to pay their respects and the late star’s wife spoke about her husband and daughter, Gianna. And recently, a statue of the legend was unveiled outside the Arena.
• Back in 2009, the arena was the venue for Michael Jackson’s memorial, again attended by nearly 17,000 people.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the arena was utilized as the LA County Vote Center from October 24 to November 3.

And now, with Simone Biles & Co. stopping here for the Gold Over America Tour, the Arena will have the male gymnasts performing their acrobatic stunts for the first time. But, this is hardly the peak of the Arena’s popularity. With the LA 2028 Olympic Games coming home, this multi-purpose space is slated to hold the artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline gymnastics events. Thus, situated in the heart of South California, this space could be the one that unites America’s gymnasts with their Golden dreams!